howertost



R. N. HOWERTON.

TROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FIILED OCT-22,1918.

1 394 983, Patented May 27, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

awue/wtoz RANY N. HQWERTON, @F ULAOQMA, WASHINGTQJN.

TRQLLING DEVJIGE.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ht, 3159119 Application filed October 22, 191%. Serial Ito. 259,226.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RANY N. HOWER'I'ON, citizen of the United States, residin at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and tate of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolling Devices, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved trolling device especially designed for use in catching bass, trout, or other game fish, although the device may be used for trolling decoys such as decoy ducks.

The invention has as its primary object to provide a trolling device so constructed that when placed in a stream, the current of the stream will act thereon for moving the device in a direction across the stream as the hand line of the device is reeled out while, by tensioning the hand line, the device will be caused to move in a direction up the stream so that bait hooks attached to the device may thus be trolled about through the stream without the necessity for trailing the hooks from a row boat or other craft in the r usual manner.

The invention has as a further object to provide a trolling device constructed to be acted upon by the current of a stream in much the same manner as a kite is acted upon by the currents of the air so that by properly inanipulating the hand line of the device, said device may be caused to take a course in a direction across the stream or may be caused to take a course in a direction up the stream. A still further object of the invention is to provide a trolling device employing a float and a center or keel plate for the float and wherein the said plate will be foldable to inactive position fitting around the float so that the device may thus be easily carried from place to place when not in use.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a construction employing a swinging brace and locking plate for securing the keel plate in active position and wherein the bracing and locking plate will also be foldable to inactive position fitting against the float.

Other and incidental objects will appear during the course of the detailed description of the invention. In the drawings, wherein l have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the used,

manner in which my improved device is Fig. 2 is a similar View looking down on the device,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation more particularly showing the mounting of the keel plate of the devlce as well as the bracing and locking plate therefor,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation more particularly illustrating the disposition of the keel plate with respect to the float when the keel plate is disposed in active position, and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing the manner in which the keel plate and bracing and locking plate therefor are adapted to be folded in inactive position about the float.-

ln carrying the invention into effect, I employ a preferably cylindrical float or buoy provided with ta ering front and rear ends 11 and 12. The oat may be constructed of sheet metal or other approved material and adjacent its rear end is provided with a vent 13 upon the upper side thereof, the vent providing means whereby the float may be drained should this become necessary. Normally closing the vent is a cork or stopper 14. Connected in'any approved manner to the pointed terminal of the front end 11 of the float is an eye or loop 15 and similarly connected to the pointed terminal of he rear end 12 of the float is a similar eye or loop 16.

Mounted at the lower side of the float to extend longitudinally thereof is a center or keel plate 17. This keel plate is also preferably formed of suitable sheet metal and is somewhat reduced toward its free end, being provided with curved end edges. Swingingly connecting the plate at its inner edge with the float are spaced hinges 18. It is now to be noted, as particularly shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings, that the keel plate is concave convex in cross section an as illustrated in Fig. 5, is foldable to inactive position fitting around the float. Mounted atthe free outer edge of the keel plate is a longitudinally extending reinforcing rod 19 fitting within spaced hinge loops 20 rolled from the free outer margin of the plate about the rod. Between the inner ends of the loops this red is bent to provide a laterally directed eye 21 supported by the rod to swing with respect to the plate. Mounted upon one side of the plate medially of the keel plate 17 and somewhat above said plate, is a bracing and locking plate or member 22 MPG illlli) for the keel plate. The plate 22 is'also preferably formed of suitable sheet metal and at its inner end is swingingly connected to the float by spaced hinges 23. Like the keel plate, the plate 22 is substantially concavo convex in cross section and, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 5, is foldable to inactive osition fitting around the float. When the lieel plate and its locking and bracing plate are thus both folded to inactive position, it will be seen that the device may be readily carried from place to place. Formed from the outer end margin of the plate 22 are spaced alined loops 24. Mounted upon the convex side of the keel plate medially thereof, is a fastening plate 25 from which is formed a loop 26 adapted to fit between the loops 24 mating therewith, and removably fitted through-these mating loops is a locking pin 27. It will thus be clear that the plate 22 will brace and lock the keel plate in active position depending, as particularly shown in Fi 4 of the drawings, laterally beneaththe oat, it being noted in this connection that the keel plate, when thus disposed in active position, is swung from inactive position through an arc of substantially 180 degrees. Connected with the trolling device is a sling therefor. This sling is designed to extend away from the float at the concave side of the keel plate 17 and includes a front line 28, a somewhat longer rear line 29, and a center line 30 of a length somewhat greater than the front line but considerably shorter than the rear line. At their inner ends these lines are equipped with appropriate swivels 31 to which are preferably connected snaps'32, the snap of the front line being engaged with the eye 15 of the float,.the snap ofthe rear line engaged with the eye 16 of the float,

while the snap of the center line is engaged with the eye 21-upon the outer end of the keel plate 17. At their outer ends, all three of these lines are connected to a common ring 33. Detachably connected with this ring of the sling is a hand line 34 preferably eqpip ed at its outer end with a swivel 35 wit w ich is connected a snap 36 engaged through said ring. vThe hand line may, of course, be of any approved length. Detachably connected to the eye 16 at the rear end of the float is a hook line 37 which is also preferably equipped with a swivel 38 with which is connected a snap 39 engaged through said eye. I The line 37 may, like the hand line, be of any a proved length and carries a desired number of bait hooks. Since these hooks may be of any approved character they have not been shown.

. In use, the device is placed in the water, as for instance, in a stream, when the float will, of course, immediatelyassume a posi-' tion with the keel plate extending downtrail said line with its bait hooks or spinners.

The hand line 34 is then grasped and reeled out to permit the device to float out into the stream. Attention is now directed to the fact that the respective lines 28, 29 and 30 of the sling of the device are so proportioned in length with respect to each other that when these lines are drawn taut by pulling upon the hand line, the float 10 will, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, be caused to assume an oblique position in the stream with respect to the direction of pull upon the hand line while the center line 30 of the sling will serve to maintain the even keel of the float. Consequently, the keel plate 17 will be presented obliquely to the direction of the current of the stream so that the current will act upon this plate and against a slight tension upon the hand line for moving the device in a direction across the stream. By slackening the tension'upon the hand line, the device may, of course, be allowed to float down the stream, while by increasing the tension upon the hand line, the device will be caused to proceed in a direction up the stream, the current of the stream acting upon the keel plate for moving the device forwardly. It will thus be seen that by manipulating the hand line the device may be caused to move about over the surface of the stream for trolling the hook line with its bait hooks about through the stream. The device may, of course, be

pulled in at any time by reeling in the hand line. In this connection, attention is directed to the fact that by reversing the position of the float end for end upon the sling therefor, the device may be used from either bank or side of a-stream, when the keel plate 17 will be properl presented to the current of the stream. en the float is so reversed the hook line 37 will, of course, be also reversed so that said line will be. at the rear end of the float. Furthermore, it will be seen that when using the device in rough water or a swiftly flowin stream, the float 10 may be partially lled with water through the vent 13 for thus increasing the weight of the float and accordingly increasing its steadiness.

Itwill, therefore, be seen that I provide a particularly eificient device for the purpose set fort and a device making it unnecessary to row about over a'stream in the usual manner when trolling. When the keel Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A trolling device including a float, a longitudinal keel for the float swingingly movable downwardly thereon to active position projecting beneath the float, andmeans for locking said keel in active position.

2. A trolling device including a float, a keel for the float projecting in active position therebeneath and foldable to inactive position lying a ainst the float, and a swinging bracing an locking member normally supporting the keel in active position and foldable to inactive position lying against the float.

3. A trolling device including a float, a keel normally projecting in active position therebeneath and foldable to inactive posi tion lying against the float, a bracing and locking member normally supporting the keel in active position and foldable to inactive position overlying the keel when folded, and locking means connecting said memher with the keel and adapted to connect the member with the keel when said member and keel are folded for locking the member and keel so folded.

4. A trolling device including a float, and a keelcurved about a longitudinal axis and pivotally connected with the float to normally project therebeneath, the keel conforming in outline to the outline of the float and being foldable to inactive position fitting about the float.

5. A trolling device including a float, a keel for the float normally projecting therebeneath, the keel conforming in outline to the outline of the float and being foldable to inactive position fitting about the float, and means for locking the keel in inactive position.

6. A trolling device including a cylindrical float, and an arcuate keel for the float normally projecting therebeneath and foldgble to inactive position fitting about the oat.

7. A trolling device including a float, a keel for the float projecting therebeneath, and a bracing and locking member for the keel, the keel and said member conforming in outline to the outline o the float and being foldable to fit thereabout, and means for locking the keel and said member folded.

8. A trolling device including a float, a keel swingingly connected with the float and projecting therebeneath, a bracing and locking member for the keel swingingly connected with the float, mating loops carried by the keel and member, and a locking rod removably fitted through said loops, the keel and said member being foldable to lie against the float having the loops thereof mating whereby said rod may be employed for locking the keel and the member folded.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature. 6

NY N. HOWERTON. [Ls] 

